Several senior government officials at the National Youth Service (NYS) are under scrutiny after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) conducted a successful raid on their homes on Wednesday, May 7.
The anti-graft agency revealed that the raid on the officials' homes and offices was in connection with allegations of embezzlement of Ksh2 billion.
In a statement, EACC revealed the raid was successful, and crucial evidence believed to be linked to the scandal was seized.
The operation, according to the commission, was carried out after court orders and was part of an ongoing probe into suspected corruption at an NYS college.
The EACC strongly believes that top NYS officials under investigation used their positions to engage in various malpractices, including conflict of interest, abuse of office and procurement fraud.
Through companies linked to themselves and their close associates, the officials are accused of channelling millions in public funds to themselves. This enabled the payment of fictitious contracts, which amounted to Ksh2 billion.
"The suspects allegedly abused their positions of trust and authority to embezzle public funds through collusion, procurement fraud and payment for fictitious contracts," EACC alleged.
To succeed in the scheme, the suspects reportedly colluded with close proxies, family members and accomplices registered as directors in the said companies, which traded with NYS and effectively secured lucrative fictitious contracts between the 2019/2020 and 2024/2025 financial years.
After the aid, the officials were accompanied to the EACC headquarters for questioning as the EACC sought to piece together the web of transactions linked to them. According to the anti-graft body, the operation had yielded “valuable evidentiary material” that would aid in building the case.
“The outcome of this inquiry will inform the appropriate action, including prosecution of any culpable persons and recovery of unexplained wealth or proceeds of corruption,” EACC said in a statement.
This was the latest scandal rocking the NYS - an institution which has for years grappled with repeated allegations of theft and public funds mismanagement.
EACC, meanwhile, has been intent on cracking down on rogue government officials, with a separate operation in March 2025 exposing officials from Nairobi, Kitui, Migori, Kakamega, Bomet, and Baringo counties over the embezzlement of Ksh1 billion.
In Nairobi County, a procurement officer at the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) received Ksh40 million from 14 companies that traded with the county government in the 2017/2018 and 2021/2022 financial years.
EACC stated that NCCG made 36 payments amounting to Ksh414 million to 14 companies over the specified financial years. It was later established that the proceeds were used to purchase properties, including motor vehicles.
